Lauren G. Rousseau: An 'angel' who touched many lives

Richard A. Marini

Updated 3:52 pm, Friday, February 1, 2013

Photo: Scott Mullin

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Family and friends line the sidewalk as they enter the First Congregational Church on Deer Hill Avenue in Danbury for the memorial service of Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau. Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012 less

Family and friends line the sidewalk as they enter the First Congregational Church on Deer Hill Avenue in Danbury for the memorial service of Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau. Thursday, Dec. ... more

Photo: Scott Mullin

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Family and friends enter the First Congregational Church on Deer Hill Avenue in Danbury for the memorial service of Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau. Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012

Family and friends enter the First Congregational Church on Deer Hill Avenue in Danbury for the memorial service of Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau. Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012

Photo: Scott Mullin

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The memorial service of Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau for family and friends at the First Congregational Church on Deer Hill Avenue in Danbury. Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012

The memorial service of Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau for family and friends at the First Congregational Church on Deer Hill Avenue in Danbury. Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012

Photo: Scott Mullin

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Friends of Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau talk about fond memories of Lauren during the memorial service at the First Congregational Church on Deer Hill Avenue in Danbury. Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012 less

Friends of Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau talk about fond memories of Lauren during the memorial service at the First Congregational Church on Deer Hill Avenue in Danbury. Thursday, Dec. ... more

Photo: Scott Mullin

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Terri Rousseau, mother of Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau, greets family and friends prior to the start of the memorial service at the First Congregational Church on Deer Hill Avenue in Danbury. Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012 less

Terri Rousseau, mother of Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau, greets family and friends prior to the start of the memorial service at the First Congregational Church on Deer Hill Avenue in ... more

Photo: Scott Mullin

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Those paying respect pass by a table of photographs prior to the beginning of the memorial service for Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau, at the First Congregational Church on Deer Hill Avenue in Danbury. Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012 less

Those paying respect pass by a table of photographs prior to the beginning of the memorial service for Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau, at the First Congregational Church on Deer Hill ... more

Photo: Scott Mullin

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Gillis Rousseau, father of Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau, carries a photograph of his daughter after the memorial service at the First Congregational Church on Deer Hill Avenue in Danbury. Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012 less

Gillis Rousseau, father of Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau, carries a photograph of his daughter after the memorial service at the First Congregational Church on Deer Hill Avenue in ... more

Photo: Scott Mullin

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Family and friends hug each other after the memorial service for Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau at the First Congregational Church on Deer Hill Avenue in Danbury. Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012

Family and friends hug each other after the memorial service for Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau at the First Congregational Church on Deer Hill Avenue in Danbury. Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012

Photo: Scott Mullin

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Mourners embrace in the vestibule of the First Congregation Church in Danbury, Conn. Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012, before the funeral service for Sandy Hook shooting victim, Lauren Rousseau.
Laure, 30, was a teacher in the school. less

Mourners embrace in the vestibule of the First Congregation Church in Danbury, Conn. Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012, before the funeral service for Sandy Hook shooting victim, Lauren Rousseau.
Laure, 30, was a teacher ... more

Photo: Carol Kaliff

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Terri Rousseau, center, mother of Sandy Hook shooting victim, Lauren Rousseau, is embraced by clergy at the conclusion of a funeral service at the First Congregational Church in Danbury, Conn., Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012. less

Terri Rousseau, center, mother of Sandy Hook shooting victim, Lauren Rousseau, is embraced by clergy at the conclusion of a funeral service at the First Congregational Church in Danbury, Conn., Thursday, Dec. ... more

Photo: Carol Kaliff

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A mourner pays her respects at a funeral service for shooting victim Lauren Rousseau, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012, at the First Congregational Church in Danbury, Conn.

A mourner pays her respects at a funeral service for shooting victim Lauren Rousseau, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012, at the First Congregational Church in Danbury, Conn.

Photo: Carol Kaliff

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This 2012 photo provided by the family shows Lauren Rousseau. Rousseau was killed Friday, Dec. 14, 2012, when a gunman opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School, in Newtown, Conn., killing 26 children and adults at the school. less

This 2012 photo provided by the family shows Lauren Rousseau. Rousseau was killed Friday, Dec. 14, 2012, when a gunman opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School, in Newtown, Conn., killing 26 children and ... more

Friends repeatedly used the word "angel" in remembering Rousseau, 30, a teacher and victim of last week's mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in nearby Newtown. They called her "an angel here on Earth," recalled the angel smiley-face she used when sending instant messages, and took comfort in the thought of her in fully grown angel wings, "so you can fly your little ones to heaven."

"Thank you, Lauren, for being a faithful, thoughtful, ridiculously fun friend," said one.

The mourners took more than an hour to file into the historic church, with many of them stopping to greet, hug and cry with family members. They lined the back of the church and others listened through the doors outside.

The 45-minute service began with the song "Jesus Loves the Little Children," a poignant recognition of the 20 children slain at the school where Rousseau had only recently begun teaching.

A family friend, Rick Cipot, read several scriptures, including Psalms 23.

Rousseau's boyfriend, Tony Lusardi III, joined friends from her early childhood through her college days at the University of Connecticut in recalling her as a diligent worker whose smile made even the hardest task easier.